GS clearly does not take the residential architect seriously

[rm]

This is going to be a RANT. So if you are a full time GS apologist, you might want to move on.

This week I upgraded one of my dongles to AC 12, only one! For the majority of my last 15 years of using AC, I have used it on upper bracket residential projects. During that time I have purchased numerous 3rd party libraries for windows, doors, and furniture....because the AC library has had the same pieces of _ _ _ _ for the last 2000 years!!!

This while applications for significantly less money, mostly on the PC side - darn-it, have had features like cabinets that heal themselves when arranged in the plan, windows that actually don't have trim problems and are based on real US manufacturers, doors that don't have trim problems and are based on real US manufacturers, furniture that doesn't look like a kid with a crayon drew them, extrusions, lathes, and sweeps that can be rotated and adjust in 3D, like Objective can do. Obviously the objects should be location friendly, I don't mean to suggest every country should adopt the US objects as standard.....OK, done being politically correct.

I have personally been told by the GS CEO when v9 was out, that by issuance of v11 there would be a "new" and well sorted out library that would be "thoroughly" tested. BS.....I have v12, and I found problems with the windows after working with them less than 5 minutes.....see the attached image, so you know I'm not blowing smoke.

What the heck does it take for GS to build a decent library? Let me tell you, I will have to go kicking and screaming to Revit, but if thats what it takes to access a decent library, I will consider it. Currently you can't access anything on the Google 3D warehouse directly into AC12, and there is NO indication from GS when we will see the plug-in again, if at all. And if your on the Mac side, forget it, you don't have a prayer as the plug-in only worked on the Windows side of AC.

Obviously, if I have stuck with this program since v4.1 I think it is reasonably good. What I find inexcusable is GS willingness to keep putting out lousy standard library sets. In the world of BIM and Photorealistic renderings, GS should be providing a solid realistic library set.....they are not even close!!!!!

I have forwarded the bug to GS through tech support. I am shocked I found the bugs with the windows in less than 5 minutes of using the AC12. God knows what I will find when I dig in further with the doors.

For what I just spent on an upgrade, I am absolutely torqued at how lacking this library still is. The truth is, even 3rd party libraries are very limited - they hardly exist. Clearly GS has not been successful in getting buy-in from US manufacturers to create libraries the way AutoDesk has with Revit. While there are some very generous users out there that give away some very good objects ( THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU ) the majority of GDL objects available just are not realistic looking or don't stay current with AC.

I have suggested this before, and I will say it again. GS there are some really smart, good GDL gurus out there. Get off your wallet and hire these people to ONLY design objects or work with manufacturers of real Plumbing Fixtures, Light Fixtures, Doors, Windows, Furniture, etc....and pay them to test the objects thoroughly. I'm guessing a 1 million dollar investment in the libraries would yield something far superior to what you provide now....I guess 50 dollars might do that as well

.....hey Mr. Gallello - you getting any of this?

[Mats_Knutsson]

Karl wrote:

Krippahl wrote:
Me wanna!

Ditto. Well done, Ralph ... and GS UK for supporting such a project!

Cheers,
Karl

Well done from Sweden to Ralph! I did send an email to GS UK months ago but didn't receive an answer and then other things came on my agenda. Would it be a good thing if GS UK surfaced here on the forum to check the general interest? We would like to put it in the Swedish AC.
If someone has Simon Gilberts email please pm it to me.
This part of this uncontrolled thread should be under GDL.

Cheers,
Mats

[Brett Brown]

Can anyone from GS tell me why Ralph and Cadimage can make fully adjustable Window/Door tools and yet you can't or won't with your resources?

Isn't this an indictment on who ever is running GS Headquarters. Where would the users be without all the add-on makers,Guru GDL users? Revit? And even they are turning to add-ons to enhance what you can already do internally, as well. Add-ons far more intricate than ours. (no disrespect intended to our add-on makers)

[Anonymous]

Brett wrote:
Can anyone from GS tell me why Ralph and Cadimage can make fully adjustable Window/Door tools and yet you can't or won't with your resources?

The one million dollar question remains...

[Thomas Holm]

Mats_Knutsson wrote:
This part of this uncontrolled thread should be under GDL.

I second that. I feel a bit ashamed posting under this label, since it is clearly not true. I feel they very much care about this client group - but of course they have to tend to the big buyers too! It's clearly appropriate that distributors with talented programmer resources do this kind of work. Lasercad (now Graphisoft Sweden) has done a lot of good objects over the years, and distributed to their clients.

I think what GS really should do centrally is to collect, organize and distribute those locally produced objects that are of some general /global interest. They should forcefully endorse and support work like what Andy Thompson has done at http://www.archicad.ca/ . It's simply too much work for one person.

[Thomas Holm]

Ralph wrote:
Testing was completed in October and it has been approved for release to UK subscribers. Graphisoft UK has been quite proactive in identifying frequently requested objects and trying to meet that demand. Anyone interested in getting hold of it should ask their reseller to contact GS UK.

I've now learned that the testing issue I was referring to was not a bug, but an adaptation to local SWE standards issue. Nothing to blame on Ralph!
I haven't tested it myself though.

A question:
- The big Curtain Wall - looking thing in the background of your image, is it something that is entirely made with your object, or does it mean that the object is compatible with the CW tool?

[Ralph Wessel]

Thomas wrote:
- The big Curtain Wall - looking thing in the background of your image, is it something that is entirely made with your object, or does it mean that the object is compatible with the CW tool

It's a single Modular Joinery object placed as an ordinary window in an ordinary wall. The development is pure GDL (no API) so it is placed with the standard door/window tool and does the things doors & windows normally do. It archives nicely too.

I've attached an image showing the selected object. All the mullions and transoms have hotspots for stretching in 2D and 3D. The floor plan representation uses the cutting plane info to project the correct cut through the object too.

BTW - I agree with Thomas that this post has randomly wandered all over the place - is it possible for a moderator to make a new topic with some of this?

[Thomas Holm]

Ralph wrote:

Thomas wrote:
- The big Curtain Wall - looking thing in the background of your image, is it something that is entirely made with your object, or does it mean that the object is compatible with the CW tool

It's a single Modular Joinery object placed as an ordinary window in an ordinary wall. The development is pure GDL (no API) so it is placed with the standard door/window tool and does the things doors & windows normally do. It archives nicely too.

I've attached an image showing the selected object. All the mullions and transoms have hotspots for stretching in 2D and 3D. The floor plan representation uses the cutting plane info to project the correct cut through the object too.

Whoopee!

Edited:
PS. I note Ralph's little remark:

Ralph wrote:
... It archives nicely too....

This indicates that the object doesn't have a convoluted macro hierarchy or non-standard hooks into the Archicad environment that don't agree well with the .PLA file format. Very important for objects that are supposed to stay on through several versions of Archicad. Thanks Ralph!

[Anonymous]

Mats, Thomas and Ralph,

I agree that the thread label/title is not fair... Maybe its creator could change it to something more constructive...
Apart from this... I beg your pardon... but could you elaborate on why and when do you think this thread became uncontrolled...
and Mats, what do you mean by uncontrolled...
Its because I think that the original purpose of this thread which IMO was the AC library issues, its causes and possible solutions is still on target.

[Mats_Knutsson]

Braza wrote:
Mats, Thomas and Ralph,

I agree that the thread label/title is not fair... Maybe its creator could change it to something more constructive...
Apart from this... I beg your pardon... but could you elaborate on why and when do you think this thread became uncontrolled...
and Mats, what do you mean by uncontrolled...
Its because I think that the original purpose of this thread which IMO was the AC library issues, its causes and possible solutions is still on target.

Too long thread...uncontrolled was the wrong word sorry...I jumped in without having the energy to read all of it (shame on me). This specific last part about Ralphs GDL-object should be under GDL. It's pretty confusing to find stuff on forum when posts grow like the rust spots on my car. Better be focused.

We know GS needs to adress the library issues among other things. I for my part feel it's time right now and not later to adress long term wishes concerning bulk work (is it the correct term in english). I don't mean bling but brain.

Cheers,
Mats

[Anonymous]

Mats_Knutsson wrote:
It's pretty confusing to find stuff on forum when posts grow like the rust spots on my car.

So... your car isn't a volvo, right?

Thank you for your clarification... I agree that long posts/threads sometimes are very hard to track.
But I think this specific one should grow freely as it refers to such an important matter in our AC world.
GS UK and Ralph's object seems to give a clear message... As Obama says: "Yes we can!" ...and we also can give it for free!
This is just one among many other good points that we can extract from this thread.
So... The more... The merrier... but as you said... in focus.

Keep up the good work in GS Sweden Mats.